1. Field of the Invention
The present inventions relates to waste compactors in general, and, more particularly, to a solar powered waste compactor and a method of operating the solar powered waste compactor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been a continuing trend for people to visit parks, beaches, campsites, and like remote locations. Removal and disposal of waste from such locations is a continuing problem. Some locations require individuals to remove whatever waste they bring to a location in an effort to assist in keeping the location clean. While most people comply with these requirements, not all do. Waste compactors are used to minimize the volume of waste. Positioning industrial or large compactors at remote locations has not been feasible for various reasons including lack of suitable power.
Commercial, residential, and industrial use trash and waste compactors are known. These compactors typically include a container in which the trash or waste is compacted by a compacting ram driven by a power source.
Relatively small solar-powered trash compactors for home use are also known. However, the power units of these small compactors are not capable of effectively powering an industrial-sized waste compactor operated according to typical industrial compactor operation parameters and output requirements, such as operating pressure, cycle time, and output power. More specifically, industrial sized compactors typically require substantially more power than home or like small compactors. This is due to the fact that industrial sized compactors compact more waste, have larger compaction rams and typically operate more frequently than small compactors.
Accordingly, there is a need for an industrial waste compactor that is energy efficient and can be driven by solar power without compromising industrial compactor operation parameters and output requirements, such as operating pressure, cycle time, and output power.
Electric motors which are used to power industrial waste compactors typically require three phase power, because three phase power makes it possible to produce a rotating magnetic field. Additionally, a delay between phases of current has the effect of transferring constant power over each cycle of the current. However, other applications for three phase power are relatively few in number and there are various parts of the country in which three phase power is not available. For example, three phase power is typically not provided in homes. Three phase power may be difficult to find in rural areas or may be a relatively long distance from where the compactor is to be located.
Accordingly, there is a need for an industrial waste compactor that operates on either 120 volt single-phase AC grid power or 12 volt battery power in locations where electric grid power is not readily available, and yet still meet industrial waste compactor operating and throughput requirements.